Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-28
PASSION SUNDAY.
Sermon OF Father Peter at tn
Old Catholic Church.


Old Catholic Church.
Tie sermon at the old Catholic
Church was preached by Rev. P. Verda-
guer, on the Feast of the day called Pas
sior Sunday.
He began by saying? I'VE enter thi'
day into the time commemorated to tn.
sufferings and passions of Jesus Christ
From this day the Church gives herself
up entirely to med tation on the passion
of Jesus. in order thereby to move us tc
participate in the same, and to complete
our penance, since Christ endured his
sufferings for our sake. This Sunday is
therefore called Passion Sunday. Te
that all the ceremonies of the Church
point. To-day the crucifixes are covered
in remembrance that from this time unit
His entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus
walked no more openly among the Jews.
From to-day the Gloria Patri (Glory be
to the Father) is omitted in the Mass,
because in the person of Jesus Christ the
Most Holy Trinity was dishonored. What
practical meaning has the passion time
for us? 1t means, or should mean for Us,
sorrow, humiliation, sharing i'd the pas.
biou Vi our LoTO. Iuo Wuoio oiLho vi
Lent is time of penance, but more es.
pecially SO is the short season which
brings it to close. Now, surely, is the
time, if ever, when we are going to be
sorry for our sins, when we cannot help
thinking Of what they have made our
Divine Savior suffer. Now is the time
to think of the malice and ingratitude Of
sin, to see it as it really is, as the one
thing which has turned this earth from
a paradise into place of suffering
and sorrow. Now is the time,
as you all know. to go to confes-
sion. and to make a better confession
than we have ever made before, or ever
can make, probably, till Passion.tme
comes around again. For now it is
easier for Us to be sorry for our sins, not
show us how hateful they are, but also
because Gods grace is more literally
given. He has sanctifed this time and
blessed for Cur repentance and conver.
sion. He calls us and helps us alway, to
penance, but never so much as how.
Hear his voice, then, and, in the words
with which the church begins her Office
to-day: "To day if you shall hear His
voice, harden not your heart" Do not
obstinately remain in sin, and put off
your repentance and confession to a
more favorable time. There is no time
nearly as good as this; this is the time
which God himself has appointed. You
must make your Easter duty, if you
would not add another terrible sin to the
many which you have already made our
Lord bear for you. My brethren when
you entered the church this morning
you did not see the crucifix; it is COZ
cred. Will you ever see it again?
It may be before the purple
veil is taken from this cross you will
have looked upon the face of Christ
in judgment. May be the last time you
looked upon it you were in mortal sin,
and are SO still When and how shall
you look upon it again? If you live till
Good Friday you will see it then held
aloft by the priest; if you die before
then, and die, as you may. without
warning or preparation, then you will
look upon the face of Christ upon the
judgment seat, then you will hear those
awful worfs: "Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire." l pray
and hope that such misfortune will not
happen to any of you. Listen then, to
the voice of God who speaks to you
through His church. See soon the face
of Christ in the person OF his priest in
the confessional. Begin from this very
day to prepare yourselves to make a
good confession, to be sure your sins
have been forgiven. Should you then
die before Good Friday, though you will
not see agai the face of Christ, again
here in this church, you will zee Him,
and hear Him saying to you in judgment
not those terrible words you heard be.
fore, but those words OF consolation,
"Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess
you the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world, a blessing
desire you all. Amen.